rbrtcrowther Posted August 9, 2017 Report Share Posted August 9, 2017 Just a note to Say hello peeps, we are about to start looking for a narrow boat to use as a holiday boat. Having worked in the ocean going marine industry for many years the last thing I wanted was a sea going boat.. So... A narrow boat it is... You can stop at a pub on a sailing boat. We still have about a years more saving to do but hope to have about £18000 to spend.... Will that get us a decent boat to holiday on? I would also prefer some kind of lister thumper engine.. Any advice welcome.. Its years since I joined a forum and look forward to starting a new adventure with new friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawny75 Posted August 9, 2017 Report Share Posted August 9, 2017 Welcome, We are looking for a boat too, the people on here have tremendous knowledge and are really nice. Enjoy the search, I know we are. Nicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrtcrowther Posted August 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2017 Cheers Nicky, its probably a year away yet but we need to start gathering information and advise. There's lot of springers for sale... But I think they look odd... Why are they so cheap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NB Lola Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 Welcome to the forum. Try some forum searches about Springers,lots to gleam about them in our message archives. Some people would say £18k is plenty, others not nearly enough. It's all down to age and/or quality as well as what you, as a buyer, wants. I personally would review the adverts in narrowboat magazines and also wander around a few boats for sale in marinas to assess whether your budget is in tune with your wants/needs. You will then know if £18k is enough. once again, welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 11 hours ago, rbrtcrowther said: Cheers Nicky, its probably a year away yet but we need to start gathering information and advise. There's lot of springers for sale... But I think they look odd... Why are they so cheap? My Springer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrtcrowther Posted August 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 ahh... Most I've seen have a square stern and no front doors... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heffalump Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 13 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said: My Springer Is that Bristol Laurie? Spent many years holidaying in Baltic wharf, looks very similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 5 minutes ago, Heffalump said: Is that Bristol Laurie? Spent many years holidaying in Baltic wharf, looks very similar. Yep, Bristol, spent many a happy time there in my youth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heffalump Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 Just now, Laurie.Booth said: Yep, Bristol, spent many a happy time there in my youth. Realised a dream a couple of years ago, having always caravanned at Baltic wharf, by narrowboating past the SS Great Britain and the Matthew. Lovely area Sorry OP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 1 minute ago, Heffalump said: Realised a dream a couple of years ago, having always caravanned at Baltic wharf, by narrowboating past the SS Great Britain and the Matthew. Lovely area Sorry OP And Aardman studios around the corner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrtcrowther Posted August 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 There are a couple on Apollo duck site that seem viable... One called Sherborne that come with a full overplate.. And one called truly scrumptious that would fit the bill. I could live with a wooden top if I had to perhaps a bit more maintenance but all part of the fun.... Just need to spend the year getting a feel for the selling prices ect.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heffalump Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 42 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said: And Aardman studios around the corner. Blimey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magictime Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 The obvious question to me is: what size boat are we talking about here? A 60ft boat at £18k is likely to be a serious 'project' with multiple issues just waiting to consume all your time and money for the foreseeable future, whereas a 30ft boat at the same price might be very nice indeed. Personally, as the former owner of a 24-footer, I'd much rather compromise on length than on age, quality, amount of work needed etc. Some smaller boats are very well-planned indeed, and 'cabin fever', storage space etc. should be non-issues if you're talking about holidays of a week or three at a time, with much of that time spent on deck cruising, in the pub etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrtcrowther Posted August 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 we would be looking at anything from a very well planned 25 footer in good nick all round... Up to a 40 foot with a good hull but needing an interior spruce up for now.. Not too bothered about the engine condition as its well within my abilities to rebuild or fit another... I did have a JP3 knocking about till a few years ago but sold it to someone with the perfect boat to put it in.. I think the long term plan is one day to semi retire and become a floating mobile marine engineer... Pottering about doing shaft alignments and servicing..ect..... . The big dream is a 70 footer with a workshop.... And a wine rack.... A really big wine rack... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croftie Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 24 minutes ago, rbrtcrowther said: The big dream is a 70 footer with a workshop.... And a wine rack.... A really big wine rack... Priorities!! The big dream is a 70 footer with a wine rack.... A really big wine rack... Ohh and a workshop.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Booth Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 54 minutes ago, rbrtcrowther said: we would be looking at anything from a very well planned 25 footer in good nick all round... Up to a 40 foot with a good hull but needing an interior spruce up for now.. Not too bothered about the engine condition as its well within my abilities to rebuild or fit another... I did have a JP3 knocking about till a few years ago but sold it to someone with the perfect boat to put it in.. I think the long term plan is one day to semi retire and become a floating mobile marine engineer... Pottering about doing shaft alignments and servicing..ect..... . The big dream is a 70 footer with a workshop.... And a wine rack.... A really big wine rack... Forget the workshop and concentrate on the wine rack 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawny75 Posted August 10, 2017 Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 19 minutes ago, Laurie.Booth said: Forget the workshop and concentrate on the wine rack We have been through this on the forums before. Not wine people. Gin! Gin is always the answer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrtcrowther Posted August 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2017 uurrrrgghh.. Gin!..... Gin tastes like something squeezed from a tramps underpants... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 (edited) Bear in mind that a fully restored engine like a JP2 or Gardner twin could be £10k-£15k on its own out of any boat...3-4 cylinder units do fetch a bit less. Good luck in your search. Edited August 12, 2017 by frangar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan de Enfield Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 On 10/08/2017 at 16:08, rbrtcrowther said: uurrrrgghh.. Gin!..... Gin tastes like something squeezed from a tramps underpants... Would it be unwise to ask how you know this ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 On 10/08/2017 at 13:07, Laurie.Booth said: Forget the workshop and concentrate on the wine rack This is the best advice given to anyone on this forum yet in 2017. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 On 10/08/2017 at 12:39, croftie said: Priorities!! The big dream is a 70 footer with a wine rack.... A really big wine rack... Ohh and a workshop.... Our boat cost 17k,but it was nearly 20 years ago and it did need a lot of work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbrtcrowther Posted August 12, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 32 minutes ago, frangar said: Bear in mind that a fully restored engine like a JP2 or Gardner twin could be £10k-£15k on its own out of any boat...3-4 cylinder units do fetch a bit less. Good luck in your search. The one I sold was an industrial one I took off a compressor set.. It ran perfectly but had no marine parts.. I bought it for 100 quid on the condition it started.. I sold it three years later for 800 quid.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted August 12, 2017 Report Share Posted August 12, 2017 4 minutes ago, rbrtcrowther said: The one I sold was an industrial one I took off a compressor set.. It ran perfectly but had no marine parts.. I bought it for 100 quid on the condition it started.. I sold it three years later for 800 quid.. Even industrial twins get daft money...plus you can now get the parts to make an attempt to turn them into a marine version....I'm all too aware that my JP2M is worth half the value of the complete boat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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